Vehicle compressor control system and method

Abstract

A vehicle compressor is controlled based on an environment parameter and a vehicle status parameter. In at least one embodiment, a temperature control system for a vehicle including an engine is provided. The system includes a compressor having a target operating speed. The system also includes an environment sensor arrangement configured to sense an environment parameter and a vehicle status sensor arrangement configured to sense a vehicle status parameter. The system further includes a control module that determines a maximum operating speed of the compressor as a function of both the environment parameter and the vehicle status parameter. The control module limits an operating speed of the compressor to the maximum operating speed if the target operating speed is greater than the maximum operating speed.

1. A vehicle comprising:
 an engine; 
 a compressor having a target speed; 
 a sensor for sensing an environment parameter; 
 another sensor for sensing an on/off state of the engine; and 
 a control module configured to (i) determine a maximum speed of the compressor based on the environment parameter and the on/off state and (ii) limit a speed of the compressor to the maximum speed if the target speed is greater than the maximum speed. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the environment parameter comprises an ambient temperature. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the environment parameter comprises a vehicle cabin temperature. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising a radio and wherein the environment parameter comprises a volume of the radio. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the control module is configured to determine the maximum speed of the compressor further based on vehicle speed. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising a cooling fan and wherein the control module is configured to determine the maximum speed of the compressor further based on a speed of the cooling fan. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the control module comprises a powertrain control module. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the control module is further configured to limit the speed of the compressor to the target speed if the target speed is less than the maximum speed. 
     
     
       9. A method for controlling a vehicle compressor having a target operating speed, the method comprising:
 receiving a signal indicative of an environment parameter; 
 receiving a signal indicative of a vehicle status parameter, wherein the vehicle status parameter comprises a speed of an engine cooling fan; 
 at least one of increasing and decreasing the target operating speed based on one of the environment parameter and the vehicle status parameter to determine a modified operating speed; 
 at least one of increasing and decreasing the modified operating speed based on the other of the environment parameter and the vehicle status parameter to determine an optimum operating speed; and 
 operating the compressor at the optimum operating speed. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein the environment parameter comprises at least one of an ambient temperature and a vehicle cabin temperature. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  wherein the environment parameter comprises a volume of a radio. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  wherein the vehicle status parameter comprises an on/off state of an engine. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9  wherein the optimum operating speed is limited to a maximum operating speed. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9  wherein the target operating speed is at least one of increased and decreased by a predetermined amount. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9  wherein the modified operating speed is at least one of increased and decreased by a predetermined amount. 
     
     
       16. A method for controlling a vehicle compressor having a target speed comprising:
 receiving an environment parameter; 
 receiving a vehicle status parameter, wherein the vehicle status parameter comprises an on/off state of an engine; 
 determining a maximum speed of the compressor based on the environment and vehicle status parameters; and 
 limiting a speed of the compressor to the maximum speed if the target speed is greater than the maximum speed. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  further comprising limiting a speed of the compressor to the target speed if the target speed is less than the maximum speed. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16  wherein the environment parameter comprises a cabin temperature.